Dolphins are Puerto Princesa’s new splashy treat

By Inquirer Southern Luzon Bureau

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines–Tour operators here are offering a splashy treat in time for the holiday season–a close encounter with wild, frolicking dolphins in the open sea.

Expecting a sharp increase in tourist arrivals toward Christmas the city is turning to the playful creatures to add more fun to its already rich fare of ecotourism attractions.

Mayor Edward Hagedorn, who on Wednesday led the launching of the new tours, was joined by over a hundred guests on an outrigger boat in the waters off Puerto Princesa. Over a hundred bottle-nosed dolphins made sure they would not be disappointed, bobbing in and out of the water.

Spotters

According to boat operator Toto Cayabo, tour operators “guarantee” each tour — or will give the money back if a visitor doesn’t see any dolphin during the trip. A tour is initially being offered at a promotional rate of P750 per person.

“We have spotters who tell us where to go. And these dolphins don’t leave this place anymore. They just roam around,” Cayabo said.

Hagedorn vowed to support the new tourism attraction, donating several cell phone units to Cayabo’s spotters, most of whom are also smalltime fishermen.

The spotters take a cut from the fee collected by tour operators, the Philippine Daily Inquirer (parent company of INQUIRER.net) learned.

“This is the kind of development that we want to promote in Puerto Princesa, not the ones that are destructive to the environment,” said Hagedorn, whose administration has banned mining projects in the city.

Also whale sharks

Felisa Torres, head of the City Tourism Council, said the local tourism operators would also soon launch a campaign promoting whale shark watching as an additional attraction.

Puerto Princesa is best known for natural attractions like its 2-km “underground river,” which runs beneath limestone formations found north of the city.

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